The Trail is Always Calling: A Spotlight on Susan Tschirhart and Next Bend Adventures
There are people who love the outdoors, and then there are people who are called by it. Susan Tschirhart, founder of Next Bend Adventures (nextbendadventures.com), is unmistakably the latter. Known on the trail by her hiking name Goldilocks, Susan has hiked in 46 national parks, national monuments, and historical sites, walked the Appalachian Trail through 7 of its 14 states, and in 2025 completed a 645-mile journey on the AT that transformed Next Bend Adventures from a side hustle into a full-time mission. She returned from that trail not just with stories, but with a proven framework for overcoming uncertainty. She is back in Front Royal now, and the Shenandoah Valley is better for it.
Next Bend Adventures was born from a simple but powerful belief: the best way to build confidence and resilience is not found behind a screen. It is found outdoors. Their tagline says it perfectly: Trade Screen Time for Green Time. Susan's mission is to bridge the gap between wanting to get outside and having the skills to stay there safely, offering nature-based curricula and guided experiences designed specifically for women, families, and youth. Next Bend is a woman-majority owned and operated company, and that identity shapes everything about how they show up for the people they serve.
What makes Next Bend's approach unique is the foundation it is built on. Susan spent more than two decades navigating the complexities of the legal world as a paralegal, and she brings that same professional-grade risk management and meticulous attention to detail to every adventure she leads. In her own words: "I've spent 40 years in professional settings and thousands of miles on the Appalachian Trail and other trails. I train my team to respect the trail as much as I do." At Next Bend, you do not just go for a hike. You experience deliberate, carefully planned, situationally aware outdoor education that leaves you more capable, more confident, and more connected than when you started.
Susan co-founded Next Bend alongside Fred "Three Bellies" Eisenman, a fellow outdoor enthusiast who spent more than 20 years leading youth into the backcountry with the Boy Scouts of America. The name reflects their shared leadership philosophy: their answer to every impatient hiker asking "are we there yet?" was always the same. It is just around the next bend. Every adventure, every breakthrough, every moment of self-discovery is just around the next bend.
Next Bend's most distinctive offering may be Nature's Classroom, experiential outdoor education designed for schools and youth groups ready to trade the desk for the trail. They also offer guided day hikes, beginner and intermediate backcountry overnight treks, and confidence and navigation skills programs for adventurers at every level. They hold a Commercial Use Authorization Permit with Shenandoah National Park and carry full guide and outfitters insurance. Susan is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer, Wilderness First Aid trained, and current in First Aid and CPR for adults and children. In 2026 Next Bend was awarded the Dare to Dream Grant from the Front Royal-Warren County Rural Community, funding advanced Wilderness First Responder certification and recognizing the growing impact they are making in this region.
Susan's commitment to Front Royal runs deep. She chairs the Front Royal-Warren County Appalachian Trail Community Committee, a designation Front Royal has held since 2012 as one of the official AT Communities along the trail's 2,200-mile corridor. She serves on the Leadership Committee of Reaching Out Now, an organization serving under-resourced youth in Warren County. She is the founder of The Trail Tribe, a local women's hiking and backpacking group that has brought countless people to the trail for the first time, or back to it after too long away. And she is a strong supporter of the Samuels Public Library Appalachian Trail Speakers Series, bringing the stories of the trail into the heart of the community for those who may never set foot on it themselves.
Most recently, Next Bend Adventures has partnered with the Warren Heritage Society to launch a brand new History Hike series, bringing the trail and the history of this region together in a way that only Front Royal could pull off. Their first excursion kicks off Saturday June 20 at 2:00 pm on the Dickey Ridge Trail, exploring the fascinating story of Marcus Blakemore Buck and the Belmont Vineyards he established in 1858, one of the largest agricultural enterprises in 19th-century Virginia. The adventure continues afterward on Main Street at Vinicola Wine Bar, where registered hikers enjoy a special off-menu food and wine experience called A Walk in the Woods, plus a 10% discount. Space is limited. Tickets at zeffy.com via the Next Bend Adventures event page.
We are proud and humbled to be listed among Next Bend's community partners. Susan was one of Headwaters' earliest supporters, an accountability partner who believed in what we were building before we had a single client to show for it, and introduced us to connections that have shaped our journey. The alignment between our two organizations runs deep: we both believe the outdoors restores people, that the right guide changes everything, and that this particular corner of Virginia is one of the most extraordinary places on earth to experience both.
Whether you are a beginner stepping onto the trail for the first time, a family ready to trade the screen for something real, or an experienced adventurer seeking a deeper connection to nature, Next Bend Adventures is here to help you navigate whatever is around your next bend. Visit nextbendadventures.com, follow them on Instagram at @next_bend_adventures, or share your adventure with #mynextbend. Gift cards are available for the adventurer in your life.
When you are ready to build a retreat experience that takes people outside and brings them back changed, make Headwaters your first call.
Headwaters — The Passage | headwatersretreats.com
